Daf 21b (דַּף כ״א ע״ב)

Rabbi Yoḥanan said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן): the time of Minḥah [Afternoon Offering] is from the sixth hour and onward (שְׁעַת הַמִּנְחָה הוּא, מו׳ שָׁעוֹת וּלְמַטָּה). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Rabbi Yitzḥak said (ר׳ יִצְחָק אוֹמֵר): What is meant by that which is written (מַהוּ דִּכְתִּיב): “Between the evenings you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be sated with bread” (בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם תֹּאכְלוּ בָּשָׂר וּבַבֹּקֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ לָחֶם) (Exodus 16:12)? “Between the evenings” (בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם)—that is the hour of judgment (דְּהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא): “you shall eat meat” (תֹּאכְלוּ בָּשָׂר). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “The meat was still between their teeth when the wrath of Hashem flared against the people” (הַבָּשָׂר עוֹדֶנּוּ בֵּין שִׁנֵּיהֶם וְאַף יְיָ׳ חָרָה בָעָם) (Numbers 11:33). Because at Bein haArbayim [Between the Evenings], the judgment of Malkhut rules (מִשּׁוּם, דְּבֵין הָעַרְבַּיִם דִּינָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא שָׁלִיט). “And in the morning you shall be sated with bread” (וּבַבֹּקֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ לָחֶם), because that time is called Chesed (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִקְרֵי חֶסֶד הַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “The Chesed of El is all the day” (חֶסֶד אֵל כָּל הַיּוֹם) (Tehillim 52:3). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And Elohim called the light ‘day’” (וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם) (Bereshit 1:5), which is from the morning (דְּאִיהוּ מִצַּפְרָא).

Rabbi Tanchum said (רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם אוֹמֵר): this is red, and this is white (דָּא סוּמָק, וְדָא חִוָּור). Red: between the evenings (סוּמָק: בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם), as it is written (Exodus 16) “Between the evenings you shall eat meat” (דִּכְתִּיב: בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם תֹאכְלוּ בָּשָׂר). And white: in the morning (וְחִוְרָא: בְּצַפְרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And in the morning you shall be sated with bread” (וּבַבֹּקֶר תִּשְׂבְּעוּ לָחֶם).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): it is written (Exodus 12) “And the whole assembly of the congregation of Yisrael shall slaughter it at between the evenings...” (כְּתִיב: וְשָׁחֲטוּ אוֹתוֹ כָּל קְהַל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם וְגו׳). That hour is for executing judgment (דְּהוּא שַׁעֲתָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): we derive it from the two lambs offered daily (יַלְפִינָן מִשְּׁנֵי כְּבָשִׂים שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם), one corresponds to the attribute of Chesed (הָאֶחָד מִתְקָרֵב כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד), and the other to the attribute of judgment (וְהַב׳ כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת הַדִּין). And Rabbi Yehudah said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): what is meant by (Numbers 28) “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning...” (מַהוּ דִכְתִּיב: אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר)? It does not say “the first lamb” (וְלֹא כְּתִיב: אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָרִאשׁוֹן), but rather “the one lamb” (אֶלָּא: אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד) - unique, corresponding to the attribute of Chesed (מְיוּחָד, כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד). For in every place, “second” is not called “good” (דִּבְכָל מָקוֹם שֵׁנִי לֹא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ כִּי טוֹב).

Rabbi Tanchum said (רִבִּי תַּנְחוּם אָמַר): therefore, Yitzchak established the prayer of Minḥah (לְפִיכָךְ, יִצְחָק תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה), which corresponds to the attribute of judgment (שֶׁהוּא כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת הַדִּין). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): from here, (Jeremiah 6) “Woe to us! For the day has turned, for the shadows of evening are stretched” (מִכָּאן, אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָּנָה הַיּוֹם, כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב). “For the day has turned”-this is the attribute of Chesed (כִּי פָּנָה הַיּוֹם: זֶה מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד). “For the shadows of evening are stretched”-for already the attribute of judgment has prevailed (כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב: שֶׁכְּבָר גָּבַר מִדַּת הַדִּין). Avraham established the prayer of Shacharit (אַבְרָהָם תִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית), corresponding to the attribute of Chesed (כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד).

The sages taught (תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן): at that very moment when Moshe ascended Mount Sinai (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל מֹשֶׁה לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), why was He revealed to him in a flame of fire (מַאי טַעְמָא אִתְגְּלֵי לֵיהּ בְּשַׁלְהוֹבֵי אֶשָּׁתָא), which is judgment? (דְּהוּא דִּינָא). Rabbi Ya'akov said (אָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב): Some say: like a resemblance (נ״א: כְּעֵין), the hour was causing it (שַׁעֲתָא הֲוָה גָּרִים). Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): all of it was rooted in the same source (כֹּלָּא לְחָד גִּזְעָא אִשְׁתָּרְשָׁא). As it is written: “And he came to the mountain of Elohim, to Ḥorev” (Exodus 3) (כְּתִיב: וַיָּבֹא אֶל הַר הָאֱלֹהִים חֹרֵבָה), and it is written (Deuteronomy 9) “And at Ḥorev you provoked Hashem to anger” (וּכְתִיב: וּבְחֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם אֶת יְיָ׳). And it is written: “And an angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the bush” (וּכְתִיב: וַיַּרְא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ׳ אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה). Because they are destined to be as the bush (מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֵם עֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת כַּסְּנֶה), as it is written (Isaiah 33) “Thorns cut down shall be set ablaze with fire” (כְּהַאי דִּכְתִיב: קוֹצִים כְּסוּחִים בָּאֵשׁ יִצַּתּוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה): from here we learn the compassion of the Makom upon the wicked (מִכָּאן לָמַדְנוּ רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם עַל הָרְשָׁעִים), as it is written: “And behold, the bush was burning with fire” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְהִנֵּה הַסְּנֶה בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ) to render judgment upon the wicked (לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם דִּין בָּרְשָׁעִים), and the bush was not consumed (וְהַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אוּכָּל) to do (לעשות), but not to utterly destroy them (אֵין בָּהֶם כְּלָיָה). “Burning with fire”-in every way a hint to the fire of Gehinom (בּוֹעֵר בָּאֵשׁ: עַל כָּל פָּנִים רֶמֶז לָאֵשׁ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם). But the bush was not consumed (אֲבָל הַסְּנֶה אֵינֶנּוּ אוּכָּל): there will not be annihilation among them (לִהְיוֹת בָּהֶם כְּלָיָה).

Another matter: “And an angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ). Why specifically to Moshe in a flame of fire, and not to other prophets? (מַאי טַעְמָא לְמֹשֶׁה בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ, וְלִשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים לָא) Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Moshe is not like other prophets (לָאו מֹשֶׁה כִּשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים). For it is taught (דִּתְנָן): one who approaches fire is consumed by it (מַאן דְּקָרִיב לְאֶשָּׁא בֵּיהּ אִתּוֹקַד), but Moshe approached fire and was not consumed (וּמֹשֶׁה קָרִיב לְאֶשָּׁא וְלָא אִתּוֹקַד), as it is written (Exodus 20) “And Moshe drew near to the thick darkness where the Elohim was” (דִּכְתִּיב: וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים). And it is written: “And an angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire from within the bush” (וּכְתִיב: וַיַּרְא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): this Moshe, one must contemplate him through supernal Chokhmah (הַאי דְּמֹשֶׁה, אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ בְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה). For what is it written? “For from the water I drew him” (Exodus 2) (עַל מַה כְּתִיב: כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִיהוּ). Whoever is drawn from the water (מַאן דְּאִתְמְשָׁךְ מִן מַיָּא), from the supernal judgment (דִּינָא עִלָּאָה), is not afraid of fire (לָא דָּחִיל מִנּוּרָא). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): from the place where Moshe was decreed, no other human being was decreed (מֵאֲתָר דְּאִתְגְּזַר מֹשֶׁה, לָא אִתְגְּזַר בַּר נָשׁ אָחֲרָא). Rabbi Yoḥanan said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן): with ten degrees he was perfected (בַּעֲשָׂרָה דַּרְגִּין אִשְׁתָּכְלָל), as it is written (Numbers 12) “In all My house, he is faithful” (דִּכְתִּיב: בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא). It does not say “faithful to My house,” but “in all My house” (וְלֹא נֶאֱמָן בֵּיתִי). Happy is the portion of that man, whose Master testified of him so (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּמָרֵיהּ אַסְהִיד כְּדֵין עֲלוֹי).

Rav Dimi said (אָמַר רַב דִּימִי): but is it not written (Deuteronomy 34) “And there has not arisen a prophet since in Yisrael like Moshe”? (וְהָא כְּתִיב: וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי): in Yisrael there did not arise, but among the nations of the world one did arise (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא קָם, אֲבָל בְּאוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם קָם), and who was he? Bil‘am (וּמַנוֹ: בִּלְעָם). He said to him: surely you have spoken well (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאַמָרְתּ), and he was silent (אִשְׁתִּיק).

When Rabbi Shim‘on ben Yochai came (כַּד אָתָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי), they came and asked him this matter (אָתוּ, שָׁאִילּוּ קָמֵיהּ הַאי מִלָּה). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): a drop of tar in fine balsam oil-Heaven forbid! (קוּטִיפָא דְּקַרְנָטֵי, אִתְעָרְבָא בַּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא טָבָא-חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). Rather, it is certainly so (אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי כַּךְ הוּא): among the nations of the world one arose (בְּאוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם קָם), and who was he? Bil‘am (וּמַנוֹ: בִּלְעָם). Moshe-his service was above (מֹשֶׁה, עוֹבָדוֹי לְעֵילָּא), and Bil‘am’s was below (וּבִלְעָם לְתַתָּא). Moshe made use of the holy crown of the supernal King above (מֹשֶׁה, אִשְׁתַּמַּשׁ בְּכִתְרָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא), and Bil‘am made use of lower crowns that are not holy, below (וּבִלְעָם, אִשְׁתַּמַּשׁ בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין לְתַתָּא). And in that very manner it is written (Joshua 13) “And Bil‘am son of Be‘or the sorcerer, the children of Yisrael killed by the sword” (וּבְהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ כְּתִיב: וְאֶת בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם הָרְגוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּחֶרֶב). And if you should think otherwise-go and ask his condition (וְאִי סַלְּקָא דַּעְתָּךְ יַתִּיר, זִיל שָׁאִיל לְאַתְנֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yose came and kissed his hand (אָתָא רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְנָשַׁק יְדוֹי), He said: this precious one (Some say: this wine) of my heart has gone out” (אָמַר הָא חֲמִידָא (נ״א חַמְרָא) דְּלִבָּאי נָפַק לְבַר) . For from here it is implied (דְּהָכָא מַשְׁמַע), that there are supernal and lower ones (דְּאִית עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), right and left (יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא), mercy and judgment (רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא), Yisrael and idolatry and astrology (יִשְׂרָאֵל וַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). Yisrael make use of supernal holy crowns (יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בְּכִתְרִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), and idolatry and astrology with lower crowns that are not holy (וַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין). These are from the right, and these are from the left (אִלֵּין דִּימִינָא, וְאִלֵּין דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And in all aspects, the supernal prophets are separated from the lower prophets (וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים, מִתְפָּרְשִׁין נְבִיאֵי עִלָּאֵי מִנְּבִיאֵי תַּתָּאֵי) Prophets of holiness, from the prophets who are not of holiness.(נְבִיאֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא, מִנְּבִיאֵי דְּלָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא).